VIRTUAL REALITY: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

This entry was posted on January 10, 2017 by Rachel.

Admit it. If you could, you would dive right into an Inception based machine and do and build whatever your heart desired! Or, well, something like that... Although we're not quite there yet, as each year passes, we seem to be edging closer to the reality of it. Or should I say, the "virtual" reality of it. Today we are going to answer some questions about what it is, what you can expect and show you a couple of examples of what is currently on the market. Enjoy...

Image from Businessinsider.com

Virtual Reality: What can you do?

When it comes to virtual reality, the possibilities are almost endless. From something simple like walking through a field to something spectacular, such as flying through space whilst fighting invaders. Whatever you choose, the experience is completely immersive and you can see in all directions you look (360 degrees). Wherever you look you are faced with an alternative reality. Take a look at some of the great experiences coming soon:

Virtual Reality: How do I move around?

As cool as it would be to actually walk around these new realities, we are unfortunately restrained in terms of how much we can move around. All the headsets have their own functionality, so there is no one way of doing it. However, most are based on interaction with your hands, and some require the use of special controllers. Make sure you have good amount of space to move around. You don't want to end up like this guy:

Virtual Reality: Will it make me feel sick?

Well, that depends. Everyone is different and some people are more prone to motion sickness than others. If you don't enjoy seeing 3D movies at the cinema or they make you feel dizzy and / or sick, it's likely that virtual reality will have a similar sort of effect. Don't worry if you need glasses though, simply keep them on while playing. Your eyes should be fine, just remember to take breaks every now and then...

Image from Twitter.com

Virtual Reality: How much is it?

Well, that depends. As with anything you're going to buy, it's likely that there is more than one option available. The same can be said for virtual reality. If you're more of a casual gamer or just looking for something a bit cheaper, Samsung has released its own headset (£99.99) which is compatible with its smartphones. You will, however, notice the difference in quality as you are not harnessing the power of a games console. With that being said, you could opt for something more powerful such as the Playstation Virtual Reality (£349.99), Oculus Rift (£549), or HTC Vive (£759). All offer great looking games, but I suppose the hardest decision will be choosing which one to get!

There you have it. An quick introduction into what VR is and how it works. Have you stepped into "virtual" reality yet? Or maybe you're planning to soon? Let us know in the comments and share your experiences!